Ranchi, 20 September (IANS) Thousands of Kurmi community on Saturday staged a protest at railway tracks at more than 15 places in Jharkhand. They are demanding the status of Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The movement has killed the train movement badly on Howrah-New Delhi Main Line, forcing the railways to cancel, divert or re-determinate many trains.
The simultaneous of demonstrations of the protests squat, Gitrid, Chakdhaturap, Chakdadah, Chakrad, Chakra, Danda on the Mesra Reve in rocks, Mur, Tatilaivai, and Ronchi.
When the security forces tried to clean the tracks, there were clashes at the Principal of Dhanbad at the railway station.
Wearing traditional dress and carrying drums, the protesters began gathering at stations as 4 o’clock in the morning despite barricades by the police administration.
Kurmi Outfits led the movement, earlier on September 20 alone announced a plan to disrupt train services at 100 stations in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, including 40 in Jharkhand alone alone.
Railway operations have already been hit. Dhanbad Division canceled Hatia-Badhaman Memu (13504) and Hatia-Kharagaggur Memu (18036), while Dhanbad-Alappuzha Express (13351) was re-rescued from 11.35 am to 6.35 am.
Similarly, the Ranchi-Chhapra Express (18613) was diverted via the Ranchi-Tori Route. Traffic was severely disrupted at Parasnath (Giridih), Chandrapura (Bokaro), and Rai (Ranchi) Railway stations.
Calling the movement a “historical demonstration”, the organizers said that they gathered support through village-to-willage campaigns.
Security has been tightened with the deployment of RPF, GRP, State Police, CCTV surveillance and drone surveillance.
Officials have warned of strict action against those who damage railway property, saying that any damage will be recovered.
MLA Jairam Mahato of the AJSU party, who is the head of Jharkhand Loktantic revolutionary Morch, raised support for the Kurmi movement.
In a video message, he said that the struggle was not only about the tribal situation, but also about the recognition for the protection of Kurmali language and land rights.
Giridih, his party MP of Chandra Prakash Chaudhary, blocked a protest at Hellong railway station in Ramgarh district, blocking railway tracks.
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